In 1999, I was working as an interior designer in Chicago, focused mainly on helping newly or previously married couples combine their households to create a cohesive aesthetic, when I got a call from my dear friend Nancy Nugent, a leading expert in luxury real estate. Little did I know, that call would alter the course of my career.
Nancy, now senior VP of sales at Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty, had a dilemma with a client, who unexpectedly needed to close on her home in a matter of weeks. “I reached out to Claudia to ask if she could help my client and me figure out how to get four stories of ‘stuff’ edited, sold, and stored,” explains Nancy. “She exceeded our expectations and the property, a luxury townhome, closed in six weeks,” explains Nancy. And the rest, as they say, is history!”
Then
Now
Twenty five years later, CMFTO is thrilled to continue partnering with Nancy and other world-class brokers to stage clients’ homes for market and manage their moves. While our commitment to excellent, efficient service has never wavered, we now offer a full range of services to handle all of our clients’ home-related needs. Also, we’ve grown from a team consisting of myself and one trusted partner to a team of 10 dedicated specialists.
Staging homes for market remains a core part of our business. Services such as editing (a term we prefer to “decluttering”) and organizing are built into that process, as we aim to not only create a neutral, move-in ready space for potential buyers, but to set up our clients for success. That can involve helping them decide which items to keep, sell, or donate upfront vs. post-relocation. After all, who wants to unpack unwanted items in their new home?
We love having the opportunity to handle clients’ moves end to end, from staging through relocation. Our customized move management services ensure a seamless transition, as our dedicated team oversees the entire process, from creating a moving timeline to putting linens on the bed in your new home. Additionally, we specialize in senior relocation, which often involves moving clients from a large family home to a senior community and requires sensitivity and care.
Finally, interior design remains an exciting part of our day-to-day business — from helping clients reimagine their property with a design “refresh” to managing full-scale historic renovations.
After getting our start in interior design, we’re thrilled to continue to do the projects we love after 25 years…and counting!
We look forward to many more years of helping our clients with all their home-related needs! Please reach out to discuss how we can personalize our white-glove services for you.